I'm not scared anymore
 

Hello guys. Still here just reading everyone's posts. Today I went to a class (24 LIFT) at my gym. I have lost nearly 30 lbs (29.5) over the last 3 months. Basically with intense cardio 5 days a week. Last month I added weight training 3 days a week. And today I changed it up a bit and went to a weight training class. Whowza! It was wonderful. Even thought my newly strengthend muscles are going to be under a few layers of fat. . . . I feel stonger. And I am going to keep going to this class once a week and cut down my own weight routine to 2 days. I think I may be in love. And after 60 minutes of curls, lunges, squats, dips etc. I broke a great sweat and feel like I am now on the right track.

About the gym. I have been so reluctant to get into the classes. What will I look like? What will people think? Now I realize they don't even care. People aren't even paying attention to me. So, I might as well turn it up and reap the benefits. It took 2 months for me to step across the divide between the cardio and weights area. It is true about the divides at the gym. How did you guys get started with stepping out over the lines in your gyms/ health culbs?

I for one couldn't get over it.... so I joined Curves!!! :-)

~jess~

Oops, silly me, CONGRATS on conquering this amazing feat. Keep up the good work!!

~jess~

I don't go to a gym. I have only one I can afford (my university fitness center which I pay for through tuition and fees) and have issues b/c everyone who goes there are super tiny and super fit. So I feel out of place... Working on that...

But I just had to say, WOW. Congratulations on the weight loss. You are really working heard, and apparently reaping the benefits. Keep up the good work.

Wow, great job with the gym. Congratulations. :)

I was extremely nervous when I went into our local gym, the Y, a few months ago. I had never gone to a gym before, so I picked one that was more family oriented, with a variety of types of people. (I go early in the morning or mid afternoon too, when it's emptier.)

I started out doing cardio and resistance, the resistance room is across the hall. People have either been helpful or haven't even paid attention to me (because they're concentrating on their own workouts). I guess I'm oblivious to any "divide" there might be between the two rooms. Lots of the same people work out in both.

I think if I'd realized what it would really be like (and I can understand that not all gyms are alike), I wouldn't have waited so long to join. I was so encouraged to see women at this site who'd been about my size and had made great progress by going, that really helped me get over my fears.

The gym makes me feel more positive about my weight loss and my mood lifts after each time I go. I'm stronger, healthier, have much better endurance, have lost inches, gained muscle. I have a long ways to go, but I'm very happy I made that step.

that is an awesome accomplishment. WTG :bravo: I don't go to a gym either. But when I did I just went where I wanted to go. I wasn't there to be eye candy or the butt of people's jokes I was there to get in shape. I did what everyone else at the gym does, ignore everyone else.

Congratulations on the weight loss and on taking that first step to the gym!

Hhmm, I guess I've never noticed a divide. Perhaps I just don't notice it, or perhaps there isn't one at our club. I go to the gym during the day when there are a lot of retired people and SAHMs in various stages of fitness. Most people I see do both cardio and weights and attend classes. I've actually only seen your stereotypical weight lifters (big, sweaty guys :) ) at the gym a couple of times.

The knowledge that I learned working out at a gym is that no ones cares what you look like. The gym is where you concentrate on yourself, those other people aren't giving you a second glance.

My old gym
 

The owner of my old gym was one of those muscle guys that wears vaseline and does competitions. Ok, you're right, I should have never joined, but it was the cheapest! The weight room was seperate from the cardio area and the people lifting were intense! It's very intimidating. They make it clear they really don't want you lifting without a costly trainer. Anyways, things at Curves are fantastic. If I'm having a bad day I find myself saying, relax you get to go to Curves tonight. I <3 Curves!!

~jess~

Thanks so much. It has been a lot of work and just me battling with all the reasons why I let this weight creep up on me. (Why isn't there a boogyman emoticon). But, thanks for your kind words. . . . It mean a great deal to me. J

Thanks for your kind words. You know what? It is something about the gym that does that to me too. Even the 1st day and the 2nd day (when I hadn't lost an ounce) I felt like. . . YOU GO GIRL!!!! Because I started to realize the number of days I sat on my couch or on the floor and ate, ate and ate without doing a thing for activity. I just started patting myself on the back realizing that I was avoiding the behaviors that made me overweight. Not one person on this earth enjoys Chips Ahoy like I do or more than I do. I enjoyed them so much, I have been packing an al ltime high amount of them on my back, hips, and thighs for way too long. So each time I leave the gym feeling sweaty, strong and healthier I mentally feel like I am getting a step ahead of those cookies. :D

Motivating thread guys. Reminded me of the Power I felt when I used to run and lift weights at my old gym. Not quite there yet, but I have been using my bowflex for the last 10 days. Congratulations on starting to lift. Increasing muscle mass makes a HUGE difference in so many ways.

I love going to the gym. I especially love weight machines. I cancelled my gym membership earlier in the summer cause I was throwing in the towel! :) I wouldn't go. But we are thinking of getting another membership. There is a gym a quarter of a mile from our house. Isn't the cleanest or the nicest but it has the equip and its $17 a month and its within walking distance!

It does feel good! Congratulations on your new found love!

Good thread. I actually felt more out of place at a women's only gym that I had joined years ago. I guess because we feel as women we are being judged (who knows :shrug: ). When I joined the co-ed gym, I found the guys did not care at all. They were there to work, and I have actually found the guys super supportive in the boxing class that I take. I found I push myself a lot harder to keep up with the "boys".

You know sometimes I think we may limit our success just because of some stupid barrier that we have dreamed up. After going to that gym for 3 full months . . . watching people enjoying their classes and wishing I where in there too - I now know that I should have been joining the fun 12 weeks ago. It was weird for some reason I would look through the glass doors and walls of the room and just watch them. Basically thinking - jeeze they are good. Well, those days are over. I am going to take full advantage of everything that gym has to offer. Heck, I should!!! We have been paying them for 8 months. And have only gotten 3.25 months out of them. (Because we signed up and they started charging us in April. But we didn't make the personal commitment until August.)

Thanks you guys for all the feedback on your personal situations and motivation discussion. J